Scripps Research Appoints Scott Forrest as Director of Business and Technology Development

By Mika Ono

The Scripps Research Institute has appointed Scott Forrest, formerly of the University of North Carolina (UNC), Chapel Hill, as the institute's new director of business and technology development.

"Scott is one of the best life sciences business development professionals that I have ever worked with," said Mark Crowell, vice president for business development at Scripps Research, who also worked with Forrest at UNC. "He has an incredible technical background and an absolutely spot-on entrepreneurial and business sense. His ability to work with researchers at Scripps and with our corporate and venture capital partners will lead to solid business deals that get our technology out, generate appropriate returns for the institute, and help our partners achieve their business goals. We are extremely lucky to have him."

Forrest added, "I am delighted to join The Scripps Research Institute. The institute's tremendous faculty, innovative research, and strategic locations in California and Florida speak to a huge potential for creating value. I look forward to taking a proactive approach to interacting with faculty, launching new start up companies, and reaching out to current and future business partners."

At Scripps Research, Forrest, 32, has started his position overseeing the Office of Technology Development and its staff of eight people, located on the La Jolla, California campus. The mission of the group is to expedite the transfer of discoveries and inventions made on both Scripps Research campuses for the public benefit. This involves promoting technology transfer via licensing and other business transactions, obtaining legal protection of research results, and helping the institute comply with requirements of research sponsors, including the U.S. government.

Forrest, who grew up in the Washington, D.C. area, earned a B.S. in Biochemistry from the University of Calgary, Canada, in 1999, and a Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the University of Virginia in 2004.

During his doctoral work, Forrest worked at the University of Virginia Patent Foundation from 2003 to 2004. He then moved to the UNC Chapel Hill Office of Technology Development, first as an associate, then as assistant director. While in this position, his many complex and high profile transactions included patent license agreements, sponsored research agreements, and startup company launches, including business plan development and fundraising for the new ventures. During this time, he also held an adjunct faculty position at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Kenan-Flagler Business School.

Forrest enjoys camping, going to the beach, and lifting weights. He lives with his wife, Claire.

"I look forward to taking a proactive approach to interacting with faculty, launching new start up companies, and reaching out to current and future business partners," says Scott Forrest, new director of business and technology development at Scripps Research.Photo by Kevin Fung.